• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Aymeric Laporte 'could seek Man City exit' this summer as Pep Guardiola eyes replacement

Home> Football

Published 17:24 6 Mar 2023 GMT

Aymeric Laporte 'could seek Man City exit' this summer as Pep Guardiola eyes replacement

Aymeric Laporte is reportedly unhappy with his game time following his return from injury.

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton

Aymeric Laporte could look to leave Manchester City this summer in search of more regular playing time, according to reports.

Laporte is arguably one of the best centre-backs in world football, and Pep Guardiola has said as much on a number of occasions.

However, after playing a key role in City's Premier League title triumph last season, this campaign he has found regular minutes hard to come by.

Advert

After missing the first month and a half of the season with a knee injury, the Spain international has not been able to nail down a regular starting spot in Guardiola's side, making just 15 appearances in all competitions.

That's largely down to the superb form of Nathan Ake, who has been an ever-present in defence while Laporte, Ruben Dias and John Stones have all spent time on the treatment table.

Laporte did miss a couple of games last month through illness but he was available for selection for City's 2-0 defeat of Newcastle on Saturday. Guardiola decided to start with a centre-back partnership of Manuel Akanji and Dias, with Ake at left-back.

Advert

Now, according to sport.es, Laporte is looking to join a side where he would be a more-or-less guaranteed starter.

The report claims that Barcelona would be keen on signing the 28-year-old, although the feasibility of a transfer remains to be seen.

Josko Gvardiol during the German Bundesliga match between Borussia Monchengladbach and RB Leipzig. (
Alamy)

Last week La Liga president Javier Tebas revealed that Barcelona must raise £178m in player sales if they are to make any summer signings.

Advert

"As of today, Barcelona doesn't have any room in its budget to spend in the upcoming transfer window," he said.

Should City let Laporte go, then they could turn to RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol as a replacement.

The 21-year-old has impressed in both the Bundesliga and Champions League this season and was particularly impressive for Croatia at the World Cup.

His signature could cost as much as £100m, with several top clubs around Europe also keen.

Advert

Some footballers respond positively to lack of game time and some respond negatively; Laporte certainly falls into the latter camp.

The defender was one of four City players who asked to leave the club in the weeks following their defeat in the 2021 Champions League final and he is rumoured to be part of the 'sad faces' group Guardiola spoke of in January when he said City's players needed to change their attitude.

Pep Guardiola will not want to lose a defender so talented at playing out from the back but he knows that squad harmony is the most important thing.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Aymeric Laporte, Manchester City, Manchester City Transfer News & Rumours, Pep Guardiola, Josko Gvardiol, RB Leipzig, Barcelona

Alex Brotherton
Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a journalist at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He can often be found watching dreadful non-league football.

X

@alex_brotherton

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

9 hours ago
10 hours ago
11 hours ago
  • 9 hours ago

    Man Utd 'decide' new striker target after accepting defeat in Viktor Gyokeres transfer saga

    Manchester United have another striker on their radar after losing out on Viktor Gyokeres.

    Football
  • 10 hours ago

    Marcus Rashford has made his feelings clear on Harry Kane amid Bayern Munich links to Man Utd outcast

    Marcus Rashford would relish the opportunity to play with Harry Kane judging by his comments about the Bayern Munich star.

    Football
  • 11 hours ago

    Scott McTominay's next Napoli team-mate has already walked out on club

    The player claimed that his former manager called him a 'troublemaker'.

    Football
  • 11 hours ago

    Women's Euros star receives ban for first group match after incident that happened 355 days ago

    A player will have to wait for her first appearance at this year's Women's European Championships following a 2024 incident.

    Football
  • 'Written in the stars!' - Pep Guardiola already knows Man City's next manager, says it's his 'destiny'
  • New footage shows it wasn't a penalty for Man City against RB Leipzig
  • “They are starting to…” Pep Guardiola makes bold Arsenal claim which could hand Man City title race advantage
  • 'Written in the stars!' - Pep Guardiola already knows Man City's next manager, says it's his 'destiny'